Vision for Education--2020
Jennifer Mastrianni
Post University
Vision for Education--2020
 The NEA is:
 A professional employee organization
 Represents 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers,
related service providers, education support professionals,
college faculty, school administrators, retired educators,
and student teachers (Ralabate, 2007).
 Dedicated to the advancement of public education
 The Mission Statement
 “Advocate for education professionals and to unite our
members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public
education to prepare every student to succeed in a
diverse and interdependent world,” (NEA, 2015).
Vision for Education--2020
Technologies Utilized by the NEA
 Complex Thinking and Communication
 Utilizes modern applications such as Facebook, Twitter,
Youtube, and Pinterest
 Posts information regarding professional development,
parental supports, and supplemental learning
 Works with modern technology (i.e. Smart phones, iPads)
 Appropriate for all users (adults and children) with access to
modern technology
 Digital Literacy
 The NEA website has their own search bar
 Professionals, parents, students can search the internet for
journals regarding topics of their choice
 Appropriate for all users who wish to seek educational
advice/solutions/online technologies to better their studies
Children with
disabilities are
granted same
opportunities for
education as nondisabled
Section 504
Although they may
not qualify for
special education,
accommodations
and modifications
are available to
them (Wright,
2015)
“Federal law that
governs the
administration of
federal student aid
programs” (Higher
Education Act,
2015).
Public Policies
strongly
supported
by the NEA
Higher
Education
Act
Individuals
with
Disabilities
Education
Act
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
*But are these laws governed appropriately??
Students with
disabilities are to
have free,
appropriate
education
Individualized
Education Plans
and transitional
supports come the
age of 15 are given
to students to help
with the education
process
People with
disabilities are
guaranteed the
same
opportunities as
everyone else in
life
Demographic Trends: Who is at risk for
not attending postsecondary education?
“Historically, special
education classes
have long
experienced an
over-representation
of racial minorities
and male students
as well as students
from lower-income
households,”
(Robson, Brown, and
Parekh, 2014).
Being labeled creates a
barrier for these
students, making it
more difficult to
receive quality
education, transitional
supports, and
acceptance to
postsecondary
education (Robson,
Brown, and Parekh,
2014).
Students, typical and
special needs, were
more likely to attend
postsecondary
education institutes
than those whose
parents did not
attend any
coursework after
high school (Robson,
Brown, and Parekh,
2014)
“Low-income, first-generation, and low-performing students face
particular barriers securing guidance, counseling, and transition
advice, as do students with disabilities,” (Brand & Valent, 2013).
What economic trends affect
students with special needs?
•
Students with special needs “participate in postsecondary
education in smaller numbers and frequently do not complete
their degrees,” (Gilmore and Bose, 2005). This leads to low
competitive employment and decreased earnings for people
with disabilities
•
Students from lower income districts may not have the
resources available to them as would a higher income
district; this is a disadvantage to students with disabilities
due to the fact that the range of services and
technologies utilized to help them learn may not be
available
•
Education for students with special needs is more expensive.
They tend to take longer to complete a degree program,
rendering them ineligible for scholarships that require
degree completion in four years. Sums of financial aid
granted are typically smaller for students with disabilities.
Accommodations needed for the student may not be
covered by financial aid. (Frieden, 2003)
Technology in a postsecondary
education classroom
“High school graduates with disabilities—many now accustomed to assistive
technology and learning accommodations—are moving on to higher education,
compromising approximately 10% of the student body,” (Kraglund-Gauthier,
Young, and Kell, 2014).
Universal design for learning
(UDL) are teaching methods
designed to help students with
disabilities have equal access to
the postsecondary curriculum
(Pace and Schwartz, 2008)
This sounds great, but in reality, these systems
are not beneficial: lack of training for professors,
technical difficulties, and having the want but not
the drive to implement in the classroom
Classroom Performance System:
a software system that includes
response pads or clickers, and
receivers with radio frequency
technology that allows students
to interact with content material
in their courses, at times
anonymously (Pace and
Schwartz, 2008)
systematic survey of information sources focusing
SCANNING “the
on trends,” (Reference for Business, 2015).
Positive Aspects
Challenges
 Interested groups of individuals can be
assigned to scan media for current trends
and emerging issues
 Groups of scanners can include
representatives from all levels of an
organization
 Due to trends researched, “decision
makers can anticipate what is happening
in the state, region, nation, and world that
will affect the nature and quality of the
institution and its educational programs,”
(Morrison, n.d.).
 Scanning leads to creating scenarios, and
other futuring techniques, that can
determine a positive solution for a
company/organization in times of change
 Time consuming and costly; depending on
how the organization wants to organize
their scanning activity, training and
technology equipment would be needed
(Morrison, n.d.).
 Larger institutions, such as a university,
have the expertise required to conduct
scanning, but these individuals would have
to add on hours of extra work onto already
busy schedules (Morrison, n.d.).
“Neither a wise man nor a brave man
lies down on the tracks of history to
wait for the train of the future to run
him over.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
(Moorcroft, 2007)
Futuring is the process of anticipating change and making decisions that will impact future
possibilities for organizations. It can “minimize surprises and broaden the span of
managers’ thinking about different possibilities,”(Mietzner and Reger, 2005). Two futuring
techniques that can be used are scenarios and scanning.
Positive Aspects
SCENARIOS
 Creative ways to anticipate future
threats and opportunities to a
company; the amount of possibilities
can be endless
 Develop multiple futures based on
either optimistic or pessimistic
situations within an organization;
find the strong points and weakest
links
 Provide leadership for new
directions
 Risks and strategies are shared
among groups of professionals,
possibly leading to the development
of a common language within an
organization
Challenges
 The practice of developing scenarios
is very time-consuming. If an
organization is currently crashing,
there may not be enough time to
come up with a valid conclusion to a
problem.
 Participants must be very capable,
and experts in their field. A deep
understanding of what is being
scrutinized is essential for success.
 It is easy to focus on the most-likely
to succeed scenario, rather than
looking at all possibilities, even the
negative.
By the year 2020, the NEA will
coordinate with their affiliating
state organizations to build up
their website to offer additional
information regarding supports
and benefits that the HEA, IDEA,
ADA, and Section 504 offer to
students and families
Plan for Change





Utilizing community supports
Providing information on postsecondary education support
Improving participation and persistence in postsecondary education
Increasing financial aid opportunities
Addressing postsecondary education needs through
trained personnel (Frieden, 2003)
If such issues are not addressed, the NEA will not fulfill their goals
by 2020, and students with disabilities will decrease their numbers
in postsecondary education.
“Studies and trend data point
to gains in employment and
earnings made by people with
disabilities who participate in
postsecondary education, but if
people with disabilities are to
share fully in the benefits of a
postsecondary education, they
must have better access to this
opportunity,” (Gilmore and
Bose, 2005).
The NEA will address current trends and challenges in special education with
relation to postsecondary education, with the help of their state affiliates, and
define a unified, national plan
Meetings of professionals, community leaders, and parents will
convene to discuss what type of services would be most beneficial
Personnel would be sought to set up online technological supports, as others
would be hired to lead potential forums, trainings, and discussion boards
Much discussion would need to revolve around financing; donations,
funding, and the potential need for outside help (either from the general
public or the government) would need to be discussed
References
 Brand, B., & Valent, A. (2013, March 1). Improving college and
career readiness for students with disabilities. Retrieved
April 2, 2015, from
http://www.ccrscenter.org/sites/default/files/Improving
College and Career Readiness for Students with
Disabilities.pdf
 Frieden, L. (2003, September 13). People with Disabilities and
Postsecondary Education--Position Paper. Retrieved April
22, 2015, from
http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2003/Sept152003
 Gilmore, D., & Bose, J. (2005). Trends in postsecondary
education: Participation within the vocational
rehabilitation system. Journal of Vocational
Rehabilitation, 22(2005), 33-40.
 Higher Education Act. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 23,
2015, from http://www.tgslc.org/policy/hea.cfm
References continued…
 Kraglund-Gauthier, W., Young, D., & Kell, E. (2014). Teaching
Students with Disabilities in Post-secondary Landscapes:
Navigating Elements of Inclusion, Differentiation,
Universal Design for Learning, and Technology.
Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal,
7(3), 1-10.
 Mietzner, D., & Reger, G. (2005). Advantages and disadvantages
of scenario approaches for strategic foresight. Int. J.
Technology Intelligence and Planning, 1(2), 220-239.
 Moorcroft, R. (2007). The art of the clairvoyant, Editorial,
Manager: British Journal of Administrative, pp. 4-5.
 Morrison, J. (n.d.). Establishing an Environmental
Scanning/Forecasting System to Augment College and
University Planning. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from
http://horizon.unc.edu/bios/Morrison/papers/4.html
 The National Education Association. NEA's Vision, Mission, and
Values. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 12, 2015,
from
http://www.nea.org/home/19583.htm
References continued…
 Pace, D., & Schwartz, D. (2008). Accessibility in post secondary
education: Application of UDL to college curriculum. USChina Education Review, 5(12), 20-26.
 Ralabate, P. (2007). Truth in Labeling:
Disproportionality in
Special Education. Truth inLabeling: Disproportionality in
Special Education. Retrieved March 12, 2015, from
http://www.nea.org/home/18456.htm
 Reference for Business. Futuring. (2015, January 1). Retrieved
March 21, 2015, from
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/ExGov/Futuring.html
 Robson, K., Anisef, P., Brown, R., & Parekh, G. (2014). The
intersectionality of postsecondary pathways: The case of
high school students with special education needs.
Canadian Review of Sociology, 51(3), 193-215.
References continued…
 Wright, P. and Wright P. Discrimination: Section 504 and ADA.
(2015, January 1). Retrieved April 23, 2015, from
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm